What light bars are you guys running?

[Brent Nowell]

Just curious what the pros use, I think it will be good information to share with one another.

Tell me what you do (tree work, logging etc) and what kind of bar you use for trees. If you wanna go into detail as to what size kind of trees or type you process with that kind of bar that would be great info.
How do you like the bar, what do you think about the weight etc any mods you did to it...

I find pro solid bars heavy and even after an hour with a 24” I’m starting to have lower back pain and I’m huffing and puffing! Just wondering if it’s worth the weight savings going to lightweight bars for over 20” bars..

Thanks!!

 

[Westboastfaller]

Look at similar threads underneath. Redbull660 sells Tsumura.
They are a semi lite bar I understand? I see they come in a 20, 24, 28 ,32".
I don't think most come sorter that 28".
Stihl lite are the top of the heap for West coast fallers. Use an adapter insert for a Husqavna and one extra driver count (115) 36" , 106 for 32". Adjuster holes need to be drilled a bit bigger or 5min work with round file per each side.

$6 adapter
$1.50 round file
$30.00 chain
$220.00 bar

 

[Ryan'smilling]

@redbull660 has tsumura bars as WBF mentioned. They're the only lightweight bars that are priced reasonably enough for me to consider purchasing.

 

[madmarksolomon]

I usually run stihl light bars and Oregon light at 32”, that being said for longer bars I like sugi hara where the tip is lightened but the bar is still solid “less flex when horizontal.

 

[northmanlogging]

stihl light, I run 32's and 36's Don't really mess with the 21-31 range as even a 32'' runs short on me more often then not.

I avoid nearly everything of Oregon, unless there is no other option

the Sugi's and Tsumaras are all fine and good but expensive and really not a whole lot lighter then a standard solid bar.

The down side of a Stihl light bar is that when bent they are pretty much DOA, so keep that in mind, they can be straightened, but its tough and they tend to develop a twist

Of course the Oregon ones will poop the aluminium insert out if flexed too far so?

As for longevity nothing beats Stihl bars and Stihl chains (at least current manufacturing the Windsor stuff was pretty skookum... but Oregon bought them out and sunk that ship too)

 

[Ryan'smilling]

stihl light, I run 32's and 36's Don't really mess with the 21-31 range as even a 32'' runs short on me more often then not.

I avoid nearly everything of Oregon, unless there is no other option

the Sugi's and Tsumaras are all fine and good but expensive and really not a whole lot lighter then a standard solid bar.

The down side of a Stihl light bar is that when bent they are pretty much DOA, so keep that in mind, they can be straightened, but its tough and they tend to develop a twist

Of course the Oregon ones will poop the aluminium insert out if flexed too far so?

As for longevity nothing beats Stihl bars and Stihl chains (at least current manufacturing the Windsor stuff was pretty skookum... but Oregon bought them out and sunk that ship too)

You should recheck the weights and prices on the Tsumura bars. They're a lot lighter than a regular bar, and WAY cheaper than a stihl lightweight bar.

 

[Brent Nowell]

Lol you guys must be laughing at me with my 24” haha, I think I’m starting to understand that lightweight bars are really meant for long length bars. Basically stating that you don’t need a lightweight under 28” right?

This is still great info, thanks! I really don’t know anything about logging or felling as a career. I was thinking of starting a thread on what it’s like, what makes up your day.
I ask myself if plumbing is really what I want to do.. some days I just want to quit and go out in the bush cutting trees for 3 months on one month off lol get away from all the ********.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Lol you guys must be laughing at me with my 24” haha, I think I’m starting to understand that lightweight bars are really meant for long length bars. Basically stating that you don’t need a lightweight under 28” right?

This is still great info, thanks! I really don’t know anything about logging or felling as a career. I was thinking of starting a thread on what it’s like, what makes up your day.
I ask myself if plumbing is really what I want to do.. some days I just want to quit and go out in the bush cutting trees for 3 months on one month off lol get away from all the ********.

I have a lightweight 20". This site ain't here to tell guys what they NEED. If you want a lightweight 24", go for it man. I held a 462 with a 24" tsumura yesterday. Amazingly light saw. That'd be a swell combo. Now someone running a saw commercially might not go that route, but that's not every user.

 

[northmanlogging]

Lol you guys must be laughing at me with my 24” haha, I think I’m starting to understand that lightweight bars are really meant for long length bars. Basically stating that you don’t need a lightweight under 28” right?

This is still great info, thanks! I really don’t know anything about logging or felling as a career. I was thinking of starting a thread on what it’s like, what makes up your day.
I ask myself if plumbing is really what I want to do.. some days I just want to quit and go out in the bush cutting trees for 3 months on one month off lol get away from all the ********.

Run what makes you comfortable.

Chainsaws are heavy, hard work anything that makes that easier is a bonus

 

[northmanlogging]

You should recheck the weights and prices on the Tsumura bars. They're a lot lighter than a regular bar, and WAY cheaper than a stihl lightweight bar.

Well to be honest, the tsumaras I haven't held, but the Sugi's cost almost as much as a Stihl, but weight a lot more.

If I'm going to spend that kinda money it better be approaching light saber territory

 

[atpchas]

Don't mind them... IMHO, a 24" light weight offers enough savings that my back notices, longer than 24" even more noticeable, shorter than 24" is a waste of money.
Almost all my saw work is maintenance work on a heavily wooded 400 acre preserve in N Cal (Napa), so not nearly as experienced as folks like Northy and WBF.
I like my 28" Stihl and 24" Sugi LWs.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

Well to be honest, the tsumaras I haven't held, but the Sugi's cost almost as much as a Stihl, but weight a lot more.

If I'm going to spend that kinda money it better be approaching light saber territory

Do yourself a favor and PM Redbull. I bought a 28" light bar from him this weekend for around $90. He gets good prices for shipping too. He did a truly unnerving amount of testing on all the lightweight bars, so you can believe that they're a quality item. I'm not saying they'll hold up for your use like a stihl will. Maybe they won't, maybe they'll be better, I don't know.

 

[catbuster]

I run Stihl bars, lightweight or solid. The rails seem to last a while and the tips do a good job lasting too. I cover the gamut of land clearing-logging-wildland firefighting. I don’t do the tree service side of things, but Stihl bars and chain are the gold standard for bars and chain at the moment with GB out of the U.S and Carlton/Windsor bought out by Oregon & the quality decline.

The Stihl bars are not the stiffest but they’re stiff enough to do really good while being really light.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

I have a Stihl 070 that has many new parts with a standard 30'' bar. I try not to carry it too far cause it is heavy maybe 55 lbs, but if at the end of the day if it does not feel extra heavy then some thing is wrong. My assortment of other saws feel like they have wings even my Stihl 056 feels like it can fly over mountains because they are so lite. A big saw just gets the job done in half the time as smaller saws except the MS 660 is lite and packs a punch too. Getting a lite bar for why? Thanks

 

[Brent Nowell]

Hey well thanks for that input ted!

I think I’ll probably settle for a versacut or something in expensive for 24”, I don’t really want to goto 28. We will see thank you all for your input keep it coming!

wondering about some of the other things on this saw if I need or not...
I have a full wrap heated handle on this 372xp but it’s just getting in the way. It came with the saw when I bought it and I thought it would be real handy, but it’s just getting in the way.
I totally see it coming in handy for production, when your felling all day long, I just don’t see any use for it bucking.
The big dogs on this saw are ‘cool’ looking but there aren’t any red woods here lol, I’ve come across the occasionally thick bark tree but it’s rare when they are used.
I ordered smaller spikes, in which I think I’ll just use the one side, also gonna try and order a standard wrap handle... I’ll see how much a heated one costs.

 

[DavdH]

Z

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I have those smaller ones on my firewood processor and they've held up well. I got them off Amazon for about $10 each.

 

[cus_deluxe]

You should recheck the weights and prices on the Tsumura bars. They're a lot lighter than a regular bar, and WAY cheaper than a stihl lightweight bar.

think i paid $83 for a 28” tsumura light from julian. probly not much more than half the cost of a stihl light.

 

[northmanlogging]

Hey well thanks for that input ted!

I think I’ll probably settle for a versacut or something in expensive for 24”, I don’t really want to goto 28. We will see thank you all for your input keep it coming!

wondering about some of the other things on this saw if I need or not...
I have a full wrap heated handle on this 372xp but it’s just getting in the way. It came with the saw when I bought it and I thought it would be real handy, but it’s just getting in the way.
I totally see it coming in handy for production, when your felling all day long, I just don’t see any use for it bucking.
The big dogs on this saw are ‘cool’ looking but there aren’t any red woods here lol, I’ve come across the occasionally thick bark tree but it’s rare when they are used.
I ordered smaller spikes, in which I think I’ll just use the one side, also gonna try and order a standard wrap handle... I’ll see how much a heated one costs.

The full wrap is nice for falling yes.

But it really shines when limbing, especially if ya like to back bar a lot, which keeps most of the chips out of your pockets

 

[northmanlogging]

And another thing....

The small dogs sometimes dont stick real well when ya wanna just stab em in to hold the saw, different saws different designs. But I find it real aggravating to be pick my saw off the ground when it should be secure on top of the log